There are a lot of options of places to dine at in Maui. Like, A LOT. Just take a look at this list I created before we went on our trip. The long list of options make it hard to decide where to eat in Maui. Our trip was only one week but in that week, we certainly made good use of our time.
Below are the places we ate at during our recent trip with tips and recommendations on what to order.
Gestes Shrimp Truck
Located on Kahului Beach Road next to Kahului Harbor, near the airport
This was our very first stop as soon as we arrived in Maui. It’s just a few minutes from the airport and it completely satisfied our hunger and cravings after a 6 hour flight from San Jose with two kids!
We ordered two Shrimp Scampi plates which come with 12 pieces of shrimp, two scoops of rice and mac salad for $15, and a jumbo hotdog plate which also comes with two scoops of rice and mac salad for the kids to share for $8 a plate. It was a lot of food but we had no problem devouring it!!
Be patient as the food does take a while to make and there is usually a lot of people waiting. We waited about 20 minutes for our food but it was worth the wait! You can bring blankets, lay it out on the grass and make a picnic out of it!
Miso Phat
They have two locations: Lahaina and Kihei. We went to the one in Lahaina.
We ate here twice in the short time we were in Maui, thats how much we love it here. The freshest fish you’ll have on the island and you can taste it! Literally our sushi that we ate that night was caught early that morning!
Make sure you get the TNT Roll, it is AMAZING!!!!! The staff is always so much fun and its BYOB so buy your alcohol in the liquor store next door and bring it over. The servers will open it for you and give you glasses at no extra charge.
It’s just a casual and fun place to go for really awesome sushi. The wait can be brutal though so arrive early or just be prepared to wait and be patient.
Pacific’O
Located in historic downtown Lahaina
We had our Easter dinner here and made reservations during sunset and it was the most beautiful setting ever! We sat outside right on the beach and it was so beautiful to have our dinner while the sun set right in front of us!
They are a farm to table type of restaurant so the vegetables are extremely fresh. We ordered a cocktail and the bartender literally picked rosemary from a pot sitting next to us to put in our drink.
The service, ambiance and food are all exceptional! Pacific’O is a great option for a special occasion dinner while in Maui.
The Fish Market
Located in West Maui in Lahaina
Delicious fresh fish caught daily! We had the freshest tuna poke here we’ve ever had! You can buy it by the pound and they add sauce/seasoning to it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. We also tried their seared tuna sandwich and fish tacos and both were amazing and worth getting in line for.
Aloha Kacoffeeaka
A hidden gem in Lahaina
This cute little coffee truck was such a great find. Well its not really a truck but an old, red VW bus. We stumbled upon it on our way to Wailea and it’s tucked away in a small parking lot which makes it very easy to miss. It’s a locally owned business and they use all organic, fresh ingredients. Even the syrups are home-made. All the cold drinks are served in adorable mason jars for you to keep and if you bring it back you’ll get a dollar off your next order. I ordered a cold brew with coconut macadamia milk and holey moley it was good!
Support your local business owners and check this place out. Not only does it make for great photo ops but they serve delicious, organic and fresh coffee too.
Coconut Caboose
Located at the Honolua Bay Lookout
I am so happy we found this place! We stopped by the Honolua Bay Lookout to check out the view and saw their cute truck parked right outside and who can resist a freshly cracked coconut while in Hawaii?! I mean, we had to, right? They also serve their “world famous coconut shave ice” as well as gelatos, floats and creamsicles.
The guy working the truck was so friendly and nice, although he scared me with the huge machete he used to crack open the coconut! Anyways, the coconut he gave us was huge and the juice was sooooo refreshing! It was super “meaty” too and we were barely able to eat half of it.
In short, GO HERE! You won’t regret it! Just look at these happy faces!
Mama’s Fish House
Located in Paia Hawaii
If I had to describe what dinner in paradise is like, it would be dinner at sunset at Mama’s Fish House. The restaurant is located in Paia Hawaii, in a secluded, private cove with the most amazing and breathtaking views you have ever seen. While there are a lot of tourists that go there, it’s legit. Like the real deal.
The food, the service, the ambiance, the drinks, the aloha vibe, everything is A+!
To start, we had a mai tai’s and Mama’s Tahitian Ahi with fresh coconut and Tahitian lime as an appetizer. Every bite was so good and tasted like nothing we’ve ever had before. The flavors of the coconut and lime made this such a refreshing start to our meal.
For our entrees I had their famous Mama’s Stuffed Fish with lobster and crab baked in a Macadamia nut crust and it was incredible. It is a very generous portion and they do not skimp on the crab and lobster.
We ordered Gabe and Emilia the kids plate which was pulled pork with rice and some veggies. It was honestly the best pulled pork I’ve ever tasted. It was so flavorful and seasoned just right.
But the star of the show was Rowell’s entree which was the Uku, Opah and Kanpachi in Panang Curry with Macadamia nuts, bananas, sambal, and mango chutney. This dish was to die for!!!! It was so flavorful and the panang curry was rich but not overpowering the fish. I could literally drink the sauce, it was that good. It was hard to stop sneaking bites of this dish!
I don’t even know how to describe how good this dish is.
For dessert we had the Polynesian Black Pearl because why wouldn’t we?! The presentation is awesome but I thought the dessert itself was just ok. We much preferred the traditional apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
Polynesian black pearl Apple Cobbler
Overall, Mama’s Fish House is an experience to have at least once in your lifetime. It’s not cheap, by any means but it is an unforgettable dining experience in the most incredible setting.
It’s a must-go-to dining experience for us anytime we’re in Maui.
Gazebo Restaurant
Located in Lahaina
We waited in line for an hour and half to eat here. Was it worth the wait with two hungry and restless kids? ABSOLUTELY!
We ordered the Macadamia nut pancakes, corn beef hash, portugese sausage and half order of fried rice and we devoured everything! The fried rice comes in half order or full order and the half was enough for all four of us. And we were hungry!
The portions are big and good for sharing. The service is great and our server was super accommodating and sweet. It’s a small restaurant with a great view and they don’t take reservations so be prepared to wait. Maybe have a small breakfast before coming here or line up at 7am when they first open.
Honolua Farms Kitchen
Located on the Honapiilani Highway
We stumbled upon this food truck on the way back from Nakalele Blowhole and what a treat it was!!! We were a bit hungry but didn’t want to fill up before dinner and the homemade banana muffin hit the spot! It is hands down the best banana muffin I’ve ever had! I wish I had taken a photo before inhaling it.
We also enjoyed the strawberry banana smoothie and homemade kombucha as well. The ladies working the food truck were so sweet and I just love supporting local businesses! I highly recommend stopping by and grabbing a snack on your way up or down the coastline.
Japengo
Located inside the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa in Lahaina
The views from Japengo is amazing. Make sure to get reservations during sunset at an outside table and you won’t be disappointed. It’s the best dining option at the Hyatt Maui Regency in terms of the quality of food and the service. It is an asian fusion restaurant with an extensive menu so there’s something for everyone.
They have a half-order option for some of their dishes which is great if you want to try a variety of different things.
We particularly enjoyed the fried rice and sushi rolls and the malasadas for dessert were heaven! It comes with three types of sauces: salted caramel, Kona coffee and guava. The salted caramel was my favorite.
Kusina ni Jayboy
Food truck located in a parking lot in Lahaina
It was our last night in Maui and we were craving Filipino soul food. Nothing fancy. Just good old home cooking. So we went on Yelp and found this gem with a 5/5 star rating and so happy that we did!
We ordered the crispy pork belly and OMG it was the best! It came with chopped tomatoes and onions, rice and dipping sauce and it was the perfect ending to our wonderful vacation.
We also ordered the bangus (whole grilled fish) with tomatoes and onions, pork BBQ, and longinisa and rice and everything was perfection. I’ve had a lot of filipino food in my life and its hard to impress me because my mom is the best filipino cook out there and I can make most of the dishes myself so when I find a good place….its REALLY good!
The wait can be long but you can call ahead your order. Let me tell you though, the wait is worth it. They are cash only and no bathrooms so plan accordingly!
For an extensive list separated by Breakfast, Lunch, Happy Hour and Dinner including location and how much mulla you’re expected to drop, check out my previous post here.
OKay this post makes me want to get on a plane and hit Hawaii toute suite! I have always had fantastic food on any Hawaiian island I have visited and your week in Maui looks like no exception!